Hand-protector



' J. BUTCH.

HAND PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FILED Ausis, 1920.

1,371,602. Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

INVENTO'R BY 1 E flTORNEYl inner face.

, UNITED STATES JAMES BUTCH, OF ORANGE, JERSEY.

PATENT o FFICE.

nannrnorncroa T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMns BUTGH, a citizen. of the United States, and a. resident of Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new; and use' u i I ful Improvements in Hand-Protectors, 01"

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved hand protector which is used largely by workmen employed in situations where it is necessary to handle rough or heavy articles, protectors of this kind being usually made of leather and Worn on the bare hand or over gloves.

The present invention provides a protector which has a smooth interior surface since the main portion is made of one sheet of material having no projections on its The sheet is cut so as to provide a thumb piece which when it is swung outward uncovers a thumb opening and is so disposed that a comparatively narrow strip is left between the opening and the bottom of the sheet which strip when out across forms opposed tabs which can overlap and can be fastened together to hold the protector on the hand.

The two side edges of the main sheet fold over the sides of the hand and below the fingers they partly cover the back of the hand and are connected by a strip, preferably elastic, which holds the protector to the hand, allows expansion when the hand is doubled up and also causes the tabs and their fastening means to be under enough tension to snugly fit around the base of the thumb where it joins the wrist.

The invention-is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hand with a pro tector secured thereto and Fig. 2 is a face view of the sheet, showing no fastening means but illustrating how the sheet is stamped or cut.

The main portion 10 of the protector is a sheet of tough material, usually leather, which has its side edgesdivergent sothat the sheet from the top down for a major portion of its length becomes wider. The widest part is adapted to fold around the sides of the hand and thus form wings 11 and 12. The upper part of the sheet is flatter and more easily bent and the sheet thus conforms to the folding of the hand. Th Sheet is cut or stamped so as to form Specification of Letters Patent.

. is therefore comfortable.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application filed August 28,1920. Serial n. 406,612.

a thumb piece 13 which when swung forward uncovers a thumb opening 14 which permits the thumb to pass up and assume its natural position when the fingers are slid up behind theprotector. The wings 11 and 12 are connected by a strip 15 which is preferably elastic so that the device is held on the hand when the hand is straight and which also stretches to allow the protector to enlarge slightly when the hand is doubled up as in grasping anything. The inside of the sheet near the top is usually provided with a loop 16 to receive one or more fingers so that the sheet closely conforms to the movement of the fingers.

The cut 17 by means of which the thumb is defined extends along the free end of the thumb piece and along the sides of the thumb piece to the base thereof but the base is not cut across so that the thumb piece is integral with the sheet. I do, however, make two short cuts 18 Which extend inwardly relative to the thumb piece and permit a free side movement of the thumb. The thumb piece is usually secured to the thumb by a socket or loop 19 stitched or riveted to the back of the thumb piece. The thumb piece is located so that there is a narrow strip 20 between the bottom of the sheetand the thumb piece. The strip is cut as at 21 thus formingtwo tabs 22 and 23 which, when the thumb piece is swung forward can overlap and are provided with means for securing them together. The securing means that is illustrated is of the usual clasp or snap type with the sockets 24 on the tab 22 any one of which snaps over the stud 25 on the tab 23 so that the protector can be adjusted according to the size of the hand of the wearer.

The protector has no projections on its inner face so that the hand is against a smooth surface at all points and the device The economy in manufacture will be apparent as there is a minimum of waste material and there is a small number of parts to be assembled.

I claim:

1. A hand protector comprising a sheet of material adapted to fold around the major part of the hand and having a thumb piece out therefrom and integral therewith at its base thereby forming a thumb opening the thumb opening being spaced from the bottom of the sheet to form a strip which strip is severed to form tabs, and means on the tabs providing for their being secured together when they overlap.

2. A hand protector comprising a sheet of material adapted to fold around the major portion of the hand andhaving a thumb piece cut therefrom and integral therewith at its base thereby forming a thumb opening the thumb opening being spaced from the bottom of the sheet to form a strip which strip is severed to form tabs,

meanson the t be providing for their being secured together when they overlap, and a strip securing the two side edges of the sheet together when they are folded over to form the back so that the sheet is held to the hand and the securing means is held under a tension.

3. A hand protector comprising a sheet of material adapted to cover the front of the fingers and the palm of the hand and having a thumb piece integral therewith which when folded outward uncovers a thumb opening the portion in the vicinity of the thumb opening being the widest and folded over to incase the sides of the hand, an elastic strip connecting the folded over edges, the thumb piece being spaced from the bottom edge of the sheet to form a strip which is severed to form tabs which are adapted to overlap when the thumb piece is swung outward, and fastening means on said overlapping tabs. v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of August, 1920. V

' JAMES Boron. 

